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along the banks no more than a few feet wide. The landwazd limit of this wetland type was used to define the <br />jurisdictional limits of the primary channel (Exhibit 16D; Map 1 W)..Flood plain is virtually non existent on the <br />north side of the channel being confined by sandstone outcrops, . <br />No attempt was made to delineate wetlands in the floodplain on the south side of the primary channel as <br />potential disturbance' is to be limited to the north side. Casual observation of this area indicates portions would <br />likely qualify as wetland using the Cowardin System; however, the majority of this area would most likely not <br />meet the soil and hydrology parameters applied by the U5ACE: ... <br />Based on the findings of this survey; it is concluded that the area(s) disturbed for the 18-Right Ventilation Shaft <br />pad and associated access roads do not impact jurisdictional wetlands or other Waters of the U.S. <br />6-Main North Ventilation Installation (TROS-481 <br />In accordance with Section 404(b)(1) of the Clean Water Act (40 CFR 320), a routine wetland delineation was <br />previously performed for areas affected by proposed construction of the 18-Right and 6-Main North Intake <br />Shafts, and the associated access roads. Wetland boundaries were determined in the field in accordance with the <br />US Army Corps Wetland Delineation Manual (Technical Report Y-87-1, Jan. 1987). Habitat Management Inc. <br />conducted the surveys on'October 21, 2003. "Normal" site conditions prevailed at the time of surveys. A <br />detailed report for the wetland delineation is provided in Exhibit 16D, Wetland Delineation Report, RAG <br />Twentymile Coal Company, Fish Creek Vent Shaft, October, 2003. Detail maps for the wetlands delineation for <br />the 6-Main North Ventilation Installation are provided in Exhibit 16F. The following summarizes those portions <br />of the report that are relevant to the 6-North Mains Shaft facilities and roads. <br />The proposed 6-Main North Ventilation Shaft and access road are located in Section 17, of TSN, R86W, in <br />Routt County Colorado (Map EX16F-Ml). The proposed shaft pad, at an elevation of 6,765', covers <br />approximately 11.1 acres. The wetland survey covered an area encompassing approximately 38 acres including <br />. the pad and surrounding areas. The access road is approximately 2,930 lineal feet from start to end points. The <br />access road begins at the existing Northwest Mains Ventilation Shaft, located near the edge of the Fish Creek <br />floodplain. The proposed access road proceeds northwest, ferminating at the proposed intake shaft location. A <br />100-foot wide comdor was surveyed along the entire length of the proposed access road alignment, extending <br />approximately 50 feet perpendicular on either side of the road centerline. <br />Identified wetlands within the 38-acre survey area, are located north of the proposed shaft pad and are confined <br />to areas within an intermittent drainage indicated by a dashed blue line on the USGS topographic map of the <br />area. This drainage shows considerable variation within the survey area. The upper reach has poorly defined <br />banks, but there is sufficient ongoing scour to prevent establishment of persistent vegetation communities. <br />Midway along the surveyed reach, the channel is deeply incised and the banks are well defined. The bottom and <br />banks of the channel support hydrophytic vegetation in areas where groundwater seeps are evident (refer to <br />Exhibit 16D, Photos 5 and 6, and Map EX16F-M1). The proposed shaft pad has been relocated to the south of <br />the identified wetland areas, such that approximately 10.6 of the 11.1 acres are outside of a 100' drainage buffer. <br />In the northern central portion of the pad area, the remaining 0.5 acres of pad disturbance will fall just outside of <br />a 50' buffer for the drainage and associated wetland areas. The 0.5 acre azea is needed so that vertical power- <br />drop boreholes can be aligned with the underground mine workings. Aside from this very limited azea, planned <br />project disturbance will only affect upland grass and shrub plant communities. <br />WEST MINING DISTRICT (Panels 12-Left through 17-Left, PR06-07) <br />No new surface facilities are currently planned as part of PR06-07. Also, as part of PR06-07, initial development <br />of main and sub-main entries will occur under a portion of Fish Creek and its Alluvial Valley Floor. Because <br />support pillars are retained in the entries, no subsidence is anticipated in conjunction with these development <br />activities. Because no surface facilities are planned and no subsidence will occur, no impacts to any Threatened or <br />Endangered plant species are anticipated <br />PR06-07 2.04-61.2 11/07/06 <br />